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(06/07/12 12:14am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>When you think of the placed called Heaven, you probably don’t think of thrashing guitars and banging drum solos that will melt your face off. Apparently, neither do The Walkmen on their newest album, “Heaven.”By no means is this album full of cherubs playing their little horseshoe-shaped harps, but it is packed full of love — with titles like “Love Is Luck,” “Southern Heart,” “The Love You Love” and “Dreamboat” dispersed throughout the entirety of its 47 minutes.However, lyrics such as “Tell me again how you loved all the men you were after” on “Southern Heart” and “I left you a million times/The irony ain’t lost on me” on “Dreamboat” make it clear that love hasn’t been smooth sailing for The Walkmen.With their new grown-up sound and the plea “Don’t leave me now/You’re my best friend” on the title track, you’ll be feeling the love on this Walkmen album and keep coming back for more.By Jonathan Streetman
(05/31/12 6:33pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Sigur Rós has always done well stateside, despite the fact that no one can understand lead singer Jónsi Birgisson’s Icelandic lyrics. Whether it’s through the soaring instrumentals or simply Jónsi’s high-pitched, angelic voice, something about Sigur Rós’ music just makes you want to sit in a beanbag chair for hours. “Valtari” is no different. Opener “Ég Anda,” which translates to “I Breathe,” is a breath of fresh air and sets the tone for the album. Slow and steady, it moves on. “Ekki múkk” has a very similar sound to Jónsi’s solo song “Boy Lilikoi,” and “Varðeldur” is a reworked version of “Lúppulagið” from 2011’s “Inni,” a moving live album.But these songs never come across as stale or uninspired. The effect is quite the opposite. These songs feel, along with the rest of the album, like a chat with an old friend. By Jonathan Streetman
(04/26/12 3:42am)
WEEKEND previews this summer's big TV seasons
(04/26/12 3:26am)
WEEKEND previews this summer's big upcoming movies
(04/19/12 4:06am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>“Just give it another spin. It gets better the more you listen to it, I promise,” is not always the praise bands strive for when they thrust their hard work into the great wide open. But Bear in Heaven’s newest album, “I Love You, It’s Cool,” is exactly one of those albums.Coming off of 2009’s wildly successful “Beast Rest Forth Mouth,” the Brooklynites released “I Love You” on March 12 by streaming it on their website for 2,700 hours by literally slowing it down 400,000 percent.Opener “Idle Heart” is a good indicator of what’s to come. Front man Jon Philpot’s airy voice and synthesized tunes soar through the track and into “The Reflection of You.”The electronic dreamscape lasts through all 10 tracks, one blending into the next.It’s on the second listen-through that the lyricism in tracks such as “Kiss Me Crazy” and “Sinful Nature” becomes noticeable, with lines such as “Let’s get loaded / And make some strange things come true.”“I Love You, It’s Cool” might not be the most stunning album upon the first listen, but it’s definitely one you’ll find yourself coming back to.
(04/12/12 12:55am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>She wraps her arms around your neck while you place your hands on her hips, over her borrowed dress. Your dad’s suit jacket feels awkward as you sway back and forth on the gymnasium floor. Your palms begin to sweat as the Great Lake Swimmers play through their new album, “New Wild Everywhere.”Such is the ambiance of opener “Think That You Might Be Wrong,” best described as ballroom bluegrass perfect for slow dancing at the high-school formal. The titular track is more up-tempo and feels big, as if singer-songwriter Tony Dekker felt the need to encompass the entire great outdoors.Dekker does his best Neil Young impression on “The Great Exhale” and to great effect, continuing the front-loading of the album.Songs such as “Changes With the Wind” and “Ballad of a Fisherman’s Wife” hit the bluegrass pretty hard, while “Cornflower Blue” and closer “On the Water” slow the tempo a bit too much.While “New Wild Everywhere” starts off as a confident compilation, it appears Great Lake Swimmers wander on the back half.Even though this is their fifth studio album, they still have some exploring to do.
(03/29/12 1:44am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>“Winter is coming.”Fans of the acclaimed “A Song of Fire and Ice” series, written by George R.R. Martin, had to live off those three words for months in anticipation of HBO’s adaptation, “Game of Thrones.”Fans were not disappointed, as HBO’s budget allowed viewers to experience Westeros on a grand scale.Sean Bean stars as Eddard Stark and is surrounded by a phenomenal cast. Peter Dinklage, however, is the breakout star as Tyrion Lannister, the bastard dwarf with a quick wit and an affinity for women and wine.For fans of the books or the casual viewer, “Game of Thrones” is one of the best shows on TV.
(03/29/12 1:35am)
What would Draper and co. tweet about this season if they could?
(03/22/12 1:58am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>We may be nearing the end of March Madness, but fortunately, March also marks the start of music festival season. So of course we had to bracket-ize 32 of the country’s biggest festivals between now and August to let you know which should be 2012’s best. Read our music festival guide for more information on each.ROUND ONESOUTH#1 Bonnaroo defeats #8 Old Settler's#4 Hangout defeats #5 Beale Street#3 Wakarusa defeats #6 Free Press Summer Fest#7 Forecastle defeats #2 Jazz & HeritageIt’s hard to believe that the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival could get upset in the first round, but Forecastle had just the lineup to pull it out. With headliners such as Wilco, Sleigh Bells and Girl Talk, it looks like Louisville, Ky., is now Upset City. — Jonathan StreetmanWEST#1 Coachella defeats #8 Treefort#5 Pickathon defeats #4 High SierraIn a battle of West Coast fests, Oregon’s Pickathon bested California’s High Sierra by boasting a rootsy lineup centered around performances by Neko Case, Dr. Dog and Heartless Bastards. High Sierra buried similar bands under flash-in-the-pan EDM acts, so Pickathon gets the edge. — Brad Sanders#3 Outside Lands defeats #6 Harmony#2 Sasquatch! defeats #7 Sunset StripEAST#8 Orion defeats #1 The BamboozleThe Metallica-curated Orion Music and More Festival might be in its inaugural year, but its wildly diverse bill — and the promise of full performances of “Ride the Lightning” and “The Black Album” — earned it some serious buzz. Meanwhile, The Bamboozle is putting Skrillex and Mac Miller at the same place at the same time. ’Nuff said. — Brad Sanders #4 Ultra defeats #5 Wanee#3 Gathering of the Vibes defeats #6 Camp Bisco#7 Governors Ball defeats #2 Mountain JamJazz and blues acts spread over a four-day period in Hunter, New York, can’t compete with Governors Ball’s lean two days of acts such as Beck, Fiona Apple and Passion Pit on Randall’s Island in New York — not to mention zero overlapping sets in that short and sweet weekend. — Mikel KjellMIDWEST#1 Summerfest defeats #8 North Coast#5 Electric Forest defeats #4 Summer CampAside from Electric Forest having evolved from the fabled Rothbury Festival, it boasts a more diverse lineup than Summer Camp. With names from Das Rascist to Thievery Corporation enhancing its breadth, Electric Forest strutted away the winner. — Rachel Hanley#3 Pitchfork defeats #6 All Good#2 Lollapalooza defeats #7 NelsonvilleSWEET SIXTEENSOUTH#1 Bonnaroo defeats #4 Hangout#7 Forecastle defeats #3 WakarusaAny lineup with a range from Flying Lotus to Real Estate will get our votes over usual suspects Pretty Lights, Umphrey’s and Slightly Stoopid; Forecastle, easily. — Steven ArroyoWEST#1 Coachella defeats #5 Pickathon#2 Sasquatch! defeats #3 Outside LandsEAST#8 Orion defeats #4 UltraIt’s kind of hard to imagine how awesome it would be see Metallica perform two of its seminal albums alongside Best Coast, Modest Mouse and Titus Andronicus in the middle of the summer. How can a three-day dance music festival with an inconvenient late-March time slot even attempt to compete with that? — Mikel Kjell#7 Governors Ball defeats #3 Gathering of the VibesThe annual Gathering of the Vibes Festival has been running for 17 years, but the two-year-old Governors Ball seemed to edge Vibes out with ease. Fortified with a wider range of music, Governors Ball has a distinct identity in a scene of summer music festivals typically dominated by hippie themes. — Rachel HanleyMIDWEST#1 Summerfest defeats #5 Electric Forest#2 Lollapalooza defeats #3 PitchforkELITE EIGHTSOUTH#1 Bonnaroo defeats #7 ForecastleWEST#1 Coachella defeats #2 Sasquatch!EAST#7 Governors Ball defeats #8 OrionMIDWEST#1 Summerfest defeats #2 LollapaloozaFINAL FOUR#1 Coachella defeats #1 Bonnaroo#7 Governors Ball defeats #1 SummerfestContinuing a remarkable Cinderella run, Governors Ball rode its immaculate roster to take down the #1 seed out of the Midwest, Summerfest, cementing its spot in the finals. They face Goliath-fest Coachella in a battle of the coasts next, but Passion Pit, Modest Mouse and the now-defunct LCD Soundsystem’s James Murphy and Pat Mahoney nearly took the Ball all the way. — Jonathan StreetmanTHE WINNER#1 Coachella defeats #7 Governors BallSo many things about Governors Ball impressed us here — among them, a gorgeous location on Randall’s Island in New York, an offer of no overlapping sets and a diverse and near-spotless lineup. Unfortunately for the Governor, the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Annual Festival offers most of those things, too, and it’s offering them twice. Its unfathomably lucky attendees will enjoy an unbeatable lineup of more than 100 artists, from Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg to Radiohead, playing two consecutive weekends in scenic Indio, Calif. Governors Ball might just prove itself as the country’s best-kept secret of music festivals, but Coachella was probably going all the way from the start. — Steven Arroyo
(03/01/12 12:50am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>When planning your first (or next) tattoo, it’s important to shop around and check out all your options in town. For those of us on campus, that means heading to South Walnut Street and choosing among those shops most readily available.But if you broaden your search just a little bit, you’ll find a gem in Little Blues Tattoos, located at 3870 W. Third St.Little Blues, whose name is slightly Elvis-inspired, has become a Bloomington institution thanks to the hard work of the man in charge, Joe Nugent — better known to his family, friends and loyal customers as “P-Nut.”A bit of a journeyman, P-Nut has tattooed across Bloomington for many of the shops in town. After apprenticing with Shannon Simpson of Genuine Tattoo Co. for just six weeks, P-Nut was paid to do his very first tattoo on July 11, 2000.“It said ‘Freedom’ on a guy’s back,” P-Nut said. “Shannon said, ‘Why don’t you do it?’ So I did it, and the guy gave me 40 bucks. It was pretty cool.”A true student of the craft, P-Nut doesn’t consider himself an artist, but more of a craftsman, following a set of strict rules he was taught when first starting.“I look at doing a tattoo almost like building a house,” he said. “A tattoo has to have a structure and be solid. It has to be something that will withstand time.”To P-Nut, the medium on which the piece is used is what really sets tattoos apart from traditional works of art. Whereas a painting can stay neutral on canvas for hundreds of years, a tattoo is done on a living organ.“I look at a tattoo and how it’s gonna look five years, 10 years, 20 years from now,” he said. “To the person who wears the tattoo, it’s art, but from my end of the needle, it’s more of a craft.”Fellow Little Blues tattooer Adam Burkholder, who has been working with P-Nut for the last three years, said that’s exactly the way P-Nut approaches the job.“He is super attentive to detail, like every tattoo is the last one he’ll ever do,” Burkholder said. “He doesn’t let a bad tattoo walk out the door.”That motivation to make every tattoo as if it’s his last could stem from the time when he did almost tattoo his last. On June 17, 2008, P-Nut crashed his motorcycle and ended up in a coma.P-Nut was out of commission from tattooing for six months, doing small pieces on loved ones just to get back on his feet.“Kind of a crawl before you walk type of thing,” he said.But on Feb. 4, 2009, P-Nut opened up Little Blues at its current location with the help of friend Justin “Bones” Williams and has been tattooing ever since.“I think the last couple years, he’s been doing his best work ever,” Burkholder said.After so many years of tattooing in Bloomington, P-Nut has gathered a following of fans who come back to him every time they want new ink. While he remains appreciative of the loyal customer base, he takes it all in stride.“Everyone has their favorite tattooer,” he said. “To say that I’m the best is just someone’s point of view.”P-Nut’s appreciation for his craft is obvious. As he speculates to Burkholder from across the shop, he imagines that history's very first tattoo was done accidentally by cavemen arguing about meat with a burnt stick.“Tattooing has been around for a really long time and on every continent,” he said. “It almost comes natural to man to decorate ourselves. It’s really a beautiful thing.”But even P-Nut, a guy covered in tattoos who makes his living putting them on others, agrees they aren’t for everybody. He’s still just as respectful of the people who don’t want tattoos as those who do, he said. Getting a tattoo can often be seen as a cliché thing to do, which makes some people want them for the wrong reasons, he explained.The only tattooing practice that P-Nut looks down on and refuses to do is using white ink because the customer doesn’t want the tattoo to be seen.“That’s weird to me,” he said. “I think people that want to get tattoos should wear them proud.”Burkholder said he agreed, adding that they try to talk the customers out of it when that happens.“Yeah, we get that at least once a week,” Burkholder said.P-Nut is willing to listen to any idea and help a customer turn an image into a functional tattoo design, a skill he said comes with years of practicing the craft.His large local following can attest to that, as you can find P-Nut originals all across town on people from all walks of life.After all, P-Nut is a businessman, and even one bad tattoo could wreck the reputation he’s worked so hard to build. His customers can expect the best from him because he expects nothing less from himself.“I plan on being in the business for years to come,” he said. “Hopefully, I’m tattooing until I’m dead.”See locations below for all of Bloomington's tattoo shops.Eternal Ink Tattoo, 5595 Indiana 46; Evil by the Needle Custom Tattoo & Piercing Studio, 1500 S. Walnut St.; Genuine Tattoo Co., 729 S. Walnut St.; Indiana Ink, 601 S. Walnut St.; Little Blues Tattoos, 3870 W. 3rd St.; Skinquake Precision Tattoo & Body Piercing, 103 E. 6th Street; Skyn Art Custom Tattoos, 1276 Old Capital Pike
(02/23/12 4:30am)
WEEKEND takes a look at each of this year's Best Picture nominees
(02/23/12 3:59am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Formed in 1999 by two members of Okkervil River, of which Jonathan Meiburg still remains, Shearwater makes a deliberate effort to work at its own pace.“Animal Joy,” the band’s eighth album and its first released on indie giant Sub Pop, clocks in at just more than 43 minutes with 11 tracks.While many of the tracks are fast and fun, including the opening track, “Animal Life,” at no point does the album seem overwhelming. The slow-paced, 6:25-minute “Insolence” provides a nice mid-album respite from the pacing.This has effectively created a very listenable album — one that allows you to sink into a chair for a while and just soak it all in.Don’t be surprised if you hear one of these Shearwater songs in the movie theater in the near future, as the Austinites’ sound lends itself perfectly to that type of format.“You As You Were” would work perfectly in the next NYC-based Wes Anderson movie, with lines such as, “Go back to the East / Where it’s all so civilized.”While a few tracks might blend one into the next, at no point is this a boring album. When thinking of pure animal joy, that’s a good thing.
(02/02/12 2:49am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>They say it’s always darkest before the dawn. Surely it couldn’t get any darker than last year’s halftime show, when the Black Eyed Peas “performed” a 13-minute Tron-themed set.The big game in Indianapolis this weekend was supposed to be the dawn of a new age. But alas, the sun refuses to rise, and Madonna is scheduled to perform at the Super Bowl XLVI halftime show.The Super Bowl is the culmination of the entire football season. Only the best of the best reach that level, and for many players just making it to the big game is the highlight of their career — win or lose.Each year, more than 100 million fans across the nation tune in whether their team is in the game or not. Last year, a record 111 million people watched Aaron Rodgers lead his Packers to a Super Bowl victory. Unfortunately, the same amount of people had to watch will.i.am. lead Fergie to the front of the stage.I only wish it was possible to forget she covered “Sweet Child o’ Mine” while Slash made a two-minute appearance.But we weren’t always subjected to such atrocities during the halftime show.In the very first Super Bowl in 1967, marching bands from University of Arizona, University of Michigan and Grambling State University performed, presumably to polite applause, in the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.Marching bands were kings for decades until organizers decided to sign well-known artists as the main attractions. For a while, the Super Bowl was pulling in performers at the height of their popularity: New Kids on the Block at Super Bowl XXV, Diana Ross at XXX and the Prince of Pop himself, Michael Jackson, at XXVII.A single performer was working so well, they decided to put together super-shows (a novel idea) with an entire array of popular performers. In 2001, the likes of Aerosmith, ’N Sync, Britney Spears, Mary J. Blige and Nelly all graced the stage in Raymond James Stadium.So how did we get from the Prince of Pop in his prime to the Material Girl a solid two decades past hers?Blame Janet Jackson’s jewel-encrusted right nipple.The year is 2004. It’s Super Bowl XXXVIII, and the Patriots lead the Panthers 14-10 at the end of the second quarter. Reliant Stadium is filled to the brim as P. Diddy and Kid Rock do their thing. Then Janet Jackson is joined by Justin Timberlake as they sing a duet of “Rock Your Body.” At the climax of the song, JT rips off part of Janet’s costume, revealing the areola artwork seen ’round the world in the most obvious wardrobe malfunction in all of live television.Ever since then, the Super Bowl has been ultra-conservative, bringing in acts such as Paul McCartney, the Rolling Stones and the Who. While no one can deny that list includes some of the best musicians of all time, that argument would be based on their work from the 1960s. For what it’s worth, they’re all English, too.They have their own football, damn it!This year — one in which our fair state is host to the biggest sporting event of the year — the Super Bowl books a woman with a fake British accent from Michigan whose most recent accomplishment was kissing Spears back in 2003.So where do we go from here?Perhaps we could put an age limit on the performers. We could always cap it at however old the Foo Fighters are, because that would be a cool show.Or maybe this is the decade that we bring back the marching bands. We have our very own Marching Hundred, which would be more than happy to fill in and could probably whip up a rousing arrangement of “Like A Virgin” if it’s absolutely necessary.Even though the shadow of Janet Jackson’s nipple has extended to Indianapolis, surely Madonna will return to her hyperbolic chamber once she lip-synchs her way through “Vogue,” and the sun will rise on a new era of Super Bowl performances — an era in which we’ll be proud to remain on the couch at halftime rather than going to get more chicken wings from the kitchen.
(02/02/12 2:26am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>What is the worst thing about touring for a year and a half straight? To Cloud Nothings frontman Dylan Baldi, it’s having to play the same songs over and over again and becoming bored with your own sound.“Attack on Memory” is just that, an attack on who they once were as a band and a complete departure from last year’s self-titled debut.Subtlety is not a priority in this album, as opening track “No Future/No Past” sets the tone for the band’s return with a very Nirvana-esque feel. That aesthetic isn’t found on the remaining seven tracks, but it sends a loud and clear message of “screw what you heard, we’re a new band here.”“Wasted Days” is nearly nine minutes long and hits hard and fast from start to finish. Finger-picking guitar and tight drumming turns into heavy thrashing and all-out war on the cymbals as Baldi screams, “I thought I would be more than this!”While “Attack on Memory” has only eight tracks, it is remarkable that each one can stand on its own — even the purely instrumental, mosh pit-friendly “Separation.”Baldi goes back to the futureless/pastless theme in “Stay Useless,” lamenting the ever-losing battle against time. “I need time to stop moving / I need time to stay useless,” he wails, knowing that’s not an option.Closing song “Cut You” is miserable and depressing with a catchy, up-beat tone. In a word, it’s appropriate. It fades the album out the same way it came in: with a nice tune and disdain for everything.
(01/19/12 2:57am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Set in Atlantic City during the Prohibition of the 1920s, “Boardwalk Empire”’s debut season was engaging, suspenseful, provocative and perhaps most importantly, a huge success for HBO.Steve Buscemi, who has played roles ranging from a horny geologist in “Armageddon” to a bowler ill-fated to always be out of his element in “The Big Lebowski,” creates an unlikely character in Nucky Thompson, local politician and notorious gangster, that is both frightening and awesome to behold.The first season has its slower moments, with long dialogue and complicated booze-running logistics. But each of these drawn-out conversations inevitably leads to a fatal breakdown in communication, creating some intense retaliation scenes.Michael Pitt as Jimmy Darmody, Nucky’s protégé, and Kelly MacDonald as Irish immigrant Margaret Schroeder are brilliant in their respective roles, comfortably sharing the screen with Buscemi.Everything falls into place for this period drama to stick around for a while.
(01/19/12 2:42am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Snow Patrol, the Irish band now based in Glasgow, Scotland, realized international fame in 2006 when its album “Eyes Open” went platinum in the United States.Its hit single “Chasing Cars” had a sound that set it above much of its competition on the radio and earned significant play time because of it.Six years later, with one lackluster album in between, Snow Patrol’s sound on “Fallen Empires” has unfortunately not changed at all; it comes across as dated and unambitious instead of something that might inspire DJs to spin it around the clock.Powered by front man Gary Lightbody’s vocals on every track, “Empires” still sounds well and good — it is just easy to fall into a rut when listening to it.Lightbody is a fine vocalist and honest lyricist, but there are very few moments to break up the monotony.While the band misses on tracks like opener “I’ll Never Let Go” and “The Weight of Love,” there are still a couple of standouts that redeem the album and pull it back into mediocrity.“This Isn’t Everything You Are” is a beautiful track, evidence that Snow Patrol has the potential to make it back to the top.They just need to have the gall to shake things up and grab it. History says it’s not likely, but maybe even Snow Patrol is bored of their sound.
(01/12/12 1:27am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>“Welcome, everyone. Have you tried the casserole?” Tim Baker calls out from the middle of his living room, which doubles as a stage every Sunday night.Delectable smells from the kitchen waft in as patrons sample homemade dishes from the potluck many of them contribute to each week before the show. Baker and his roommate/partner, Jason Payton, have created a venue in their home called The Switchyard, a venue unlike any other you’ll find in Bloomington.Started in October 2010, The Switchyard can be easily missed, as it’s just another house with no discernible sign on Monon Street, which is a block away from South Walnut Street.The Switchyard’s existence can be directly attributed to a dedicated group of friends looking for more options and a strong word-of-mouth campaign that helped it grow.“It’s been a natural sort of progress — getting together with friends, enjoying good music and good food,” Payton says with a bowl of noodles in his hands.With instruments ranging from ukuleles to box guitars hanging on every inch of available wall, it is no surprise that The Switchyard primarily hosts acoustic sets.“We don’t use microphones here,” Payton says. “If a band wants to use an electric guitar, we tell them to make sure you can still sing over it.”On this night, five-piece student-formed band the Mean Tones set up in the living room while the 20 or so guests find a seat on the floor or around the dining room table. The lights are dimmed while a string of sparkly Christmas lights are plugged in to light up the stage area.The result is a much more intimate concert setting than you’ll ever find at a larger venue. Fans clap and sing along to better-known songs and maybe grab a bite to eat in between sets.“It’s a fine line. We’re not quite a house show. Even though it’s a house, we do put on quite a show,” Payton says.Since its inception, The Switchyard has attracted not only local bands, but also a few notable acts from the Chicagoland area and even The Velours from the U.K.“Bands really enjoy playing here. It presents a certain challenge, playing mainly acoustic when they may not always do that,” Payton says. “Plus, we find that bands often need to book Sunday nights.”The Switchyard is in no way hurting to fill their Sunday nights. Booked until March, the guys on Monon Street have some exciting acts coming through. This Sunday, scheduled to perform are two Chicago-based artists: Jaik Willis, who performed at Bonnaroo last summer, and The Additives.If you’re planning on attending, be willing to pitch in a dish or donate a couple of bucks to the cause.Still, both Payton and Baker expressed that they aren’t in it for the money, but for the music.“If we weren’t doing this, I don’t know what we’d be doing,” Baker says.Payton agreed, saying, “We love doing this. There is no end date.”
(12/08/11 1:09am)
WEEKEND's best TV shows of the year
(12/08/11 12:59am)
WEEKEND's absolute best albums of the year
(11/30/11 9:44pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The Brit-rockers of The Duke Spirit have been on the stateside music scene since 2005, releasing a couple of albums and playing pretty much every talk show Americans love and cherish.It is quickly apparent with its third LP “Bruiser” that The Duke Spirit is looking for a little more recognition. But in an album that never really seems to take off, these Londoners might still have some work to do.First track “Cherry Tree” is a good indicator of what frontwoman Liela Moss wants “Bruiser” to accomplish as she belts out “I don’t look back/Why would you?” However, the band’s same downtempo rock found on 2008’s “Neptune” is back and doesn’t do anything new.The bright spots are where the band decides to do something different, the first of which is “De Lux,” a ballad that plays like a rock lullaby with Moss’ soothing voice dipping low and soaring high.Radio-friendly “Everybody’s Under Your Spell” embodies what “Bruiser” could have been if they had only let themselves really go for it. Uptempo, catchy and fun, this is the single to build on.If only “Bruiser” hadn’t pulled its punches, we’d be black and blue and in love with The Duke Spirit.